


Faultless

by angelslaugh



Series: The Conduit Chronicles [2]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: F/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-10
Updated: 2015-07-24
Packaged: 2018-03-17 06:33:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3519005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelslaugh/pseuds/angelslaugh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>fault·less</p><p>ˈfôltləs'</p><p>adjective</p><p>free from defect or error.</p><p>"your logic is faultless"</p><p>synonyms:perfect, flawless, without fault, error-free, impeccable, accurate, precise, exact, correct, exemplary</p><p>"speaking faultless English"</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Home

They were alive.

Mavis had shown Jet the path, and the only thing to show the passage of the years was longer hair.

The demons, having caught wind of them being alive, had flown, night and day, with a certain female wizard who hadn't aged (like the rest of the Edolas Fairy Tail and Prince Siegrain and Mystogan...no idea how that happened) in their arms, probably terrified that Azakarika planned on dropping her.

Not that Aza _would._ Mirajane would be pissed, but more than that...she didn't feel like dropping the girl she held in her arms. Humans were fragile; more fragile than demons.

Aza alighted in front of the guild and dropped Lisanna Strauss off and told her to go in there.

"What about you?" she asked, laying a hand on Aza's arm. Lisanna had gotten closer to Aza, even more so when it became clear to Aza that something must have happened on Edolas, because Lisanna held a demon inside of her. Aza may not have been able to see the soul like Poison and Lyra, but it was definitely in there. And it was definitely scared.

"I'll see them soon," Aza promised, and she watched Lisanna walk into HER guild for the first time in years. Aza turned away and jumped. The truth was, she needed Akira to catch up to seven years' worth of clothing. Even if the jewels _were_ stolen, Akira needed new clothing.

~:~

Lucy watched with a small smile as her family rejoiced at being counted among the living. She turned to Natsu, who, along with most of the guild, was celebrating Lisanna's return.

With the exceptions being Laxus, Gajeel, Pantherlily, Juvia, Mizu, Selene, Lyric, and Renna...

She cleared her throat. Renna and Lyric were celebrating, just drinking sodas quietly. Mizu was obviously stalking Gray and fighing with Juvia, Laxus was sitting with Gajeel (to her surprise, Makarov had allowed him into the guild for the celebration. And he was sitting away from his team, which came as another surprise...then again, he was probably hiding from them) and Pantherlily, and Selene was...well, to be perfectly honest Selene was probably in the library, trying to find out as much as she could about Conduits.

She stood up and took her smoothie, walking over to Gajeel, Laxus, and Pantherlily.

"Mind if I sit here?" she questioned. Gajeel shook his head.

Laxus simply grunted.

Lucy looked at Pantherlily, who shrugged as well.

"Go ahead," he invited. Lucy sat, enjoying the relative quiet that settled around the four.

"Hey Blondie," Laxus suddenly said, making her look up at the lightning dragon slayer, "heard from Akira yet?"

Lucy felt as if she'd been punched.

"Oh, shit," she exclaimed, scrambling up. "We haven't even searched for her! Shit! She's going to kill me!"

"No," Gajeel said, chuckling. "If Extalia ain't worried about her partner-"

"Extalia isn't blindly loyal to Lyra like Happy and Charle are to Natsu and Wendy," she said, cutting him off. "When I ran away from my dad, I hadn't seen them for three years, Gajeel!" Lucy was distraught.

"Chill, Blondie, we'll help you look," Laxus said, scowling.

Gajeel bit into his metal. "Whatever, fine."

Lucy gave them her 1,000 kilowatt smile.

"Thanks, Metal-head and Laxus!"

Gajeel gave her a glare and she gave him one in return.

Suddenly, Gildarts was there.

"We shouldn't have survived." His solemn tone caused Lucy to stop smiling and Gajeel and Laxus paying attention. Pantherlily frowned, setting his kiwi juice down.

"What makes you say that?" Lucy questioned.

Guildarts sat down. Nobody seemed to notice (or care).

One look showed that he was only there because Cana was passed out at the bar.

"I've seen that dragon wipe an entire city off of the map with a roar. That dragon didn't _want_ to kill us. It didn't even want to kill me, I don't think, when it hurt me."

Lucy knit her brows and looked at Laxus.

Laxus sighed. "Don't look at me. I'm not a-" He paused. "Didn't the old man say that Acnologia is one of Zeref's demons or something?"

Lucy shook her head. "Dragon. Akira's demon, Aza, said that Acnologia isn't the dragon king, though."

"So Zeref controls it, right? Why can't we ask Akira when she comes back?"

"What if Akira ain't even in contact with the damned dragon?" demanded Gajeel.

"She is." The group of four turned to see Lisanna...only, _not._ Instead of a calm blue, her eyes were a blazing red.

"Great, another lacrima-demon," Laxus muttered.

Lucy whipped her head around.

"Another?" Lucy questioned, deadly serious.

"Yes," Laxus replied. "Another."

"Akira's one of them, isn't she?" Gildarts asked, already knowing, just needing confirmation.

"Yes." Lisanna had wandered off.

Gldarts turned to Lucy.

"I heard she was your cousin."

Lucy swallowed. "Yeah..."

"Ask her-"

"No need, Gildarts," a cutting voice said. They turned to see Poison standing there. She strode past him, leaning down to whisper, "Aza is in contact with Acnologia. Don't piss me off."

She walked off, obviously intent on finding Al.

"Do I know her?"

"That was Poison," Lucy sighed, hitting her head against the table. "Don't piss her off. She was...one of the results of the experiments in Enca before the tabloids proclaimed it had blown up." Gildarts turned to Lucy, Laxus and Gajeel also listening, though pretending they weren't. Lily wasn't pretending; he didn't know of what happened in Enca.

"Even I know waht happened in Enca," Gildarts stated seriously. "It was a lab explosion, right?"

Lucy's face darkened. "I don't know much about it. Nor do Selene and Mizu. All I really know is that-as a result of a potion that should have killed her-my other cousin, Akira, made the lab explode." Lucy stared into her milkshake. "I don't know what happened seven years ago in Enca, but last I heard of them, they left to obliterate their enemies after Renna's brother came to visit. Ren used to scare the crap out of Akira, but now, I think the memory would haunt her."

"Interesting." Gildarts looked deep in thought. "Try to find out more information, Lucy. It would be very beneficial to the guild."

"Akira isn't an enemy, Gildarts, if that's what you're asking," Lucy coolly stated. "She may be Gajeel's half-sister and the daughter of the old king's bastard child, but she isn't an enemy." Lucy's brown eyes had hardened, and Gildarts swallowed.

"My sister's a _princess?"_

Lucy turned to Gajeel.

"An illegitimate, but yes," Lucy nodded. "I think Princess Hisui would be considered her cousin. Still, she has a greater claim on the throne than Princess Hisui, even though she wasn't born into that life."

"Does Princess Hisui even know about Akira?"

Lucy smirked. "I should think so, since Aunt Elaine-that's Lady Soliana's _true_ name, by the way-used to invite the Princess over to play."

Gildarts blanched. "You're friends with the princess of Fiore?"

"I'm her cousin's cousin, of course I am!" Lucy said, offended. "Well, I _was._ Father stopped allowing me to leave the Heartfilia Konzern to see her and the triplets and twins play a few years after Mother died, and I think after the triplets and twins vanished for three years and haven't been seen since the princess gave up hoping they'd ever be back." Master Makarov suddenly came out of wherever he had been hiding and went on to tell his brats to shut up.

Lucy turned, thinking of how she should send Hisui a letter. It was only right, after all. And it'd probably get there faster, seeing as she'd recieved money from her father, and could actually afford it now.

~:~

The Princess of Fiore, Hisui E. Fiore, was getting ready for bed when a random guard knocked on her door.

"Princess, I have a letter from a certain Lucy Heartfilia here. What should I do?"

Hisui threw open her door, not minding the fact that she was in her nightgown.

"Give it to me now, please!" she said, and the guard could only go red as the princess impatiently grabbed it.

She looked at the seal, the 'L' seal making her smile widen. Jude Heartfilia's railway debts had been paid off, courtesy of Hisui, and Jude was in brimming health (she got weekly reports from people she'd sent to help him). She opened the letter.

_Dear Princess Hisui E. Fiore,_

_You may not remember me, but I'm Lucy Heartfilia, your sort-of cousin. We used to play together when Aunt Elaine had you over._

_I was just writing to let you know that the triplets are fine...I think. I know Selene and Mizu are, and I also know the twins are as well._

_There are a few things I am reluctant to talk to you about in writing. I know you probably can't seeing as you **are Princess** Hisui, but I really need to talk to you face-to-face. I might know by then if Akira's okay, but until then I am hesitant to tell you anything in case this letter might be intercepted._

_Anyway, I am a Celestial Mage now. I think you've probably heard that Fairy Tail's been missing for quite a few years now? Seven, I think? Yeah, I was involved. I am a Fairy Tail wizard, always and forever._

_Please contact me with a date that we can meet, face-to-face, if it's possible. If it's not, please let me know._

_Love from,_

_Lucy Heartfilia_

The princess frowned when she heard that Lucy knew that Selene and Mizu were fine, but was unsure of Akira.

She smiled when she saw Lucy had joined that guild after all.

Aunt Layla would have been proud of her.

~:~

Lucy's mind wandered as she left the guild for the night. She thought everything would be okay, that it would be like no time at all had passed for her.

But it wasn't-it was painful, realizing that a seven-year span of time had happened and that most of the guild had left, leaving only a few members behind. Laki, Kinana, Vijeeter, Macao, Warren, Wakaba, Nab, Romeo, Alzack, Bisca (and Alzack and Bisca's kid, Asuka), Reedus...

Lucy let out a sigh, then felt chills go up and down her spine. She slipped her hand showing the Fairy Tail symbol slip into her pocket and heard a growl. She turned around, but saw nobody.

"Who's there?" she demanded. She then turned around again, this time actually seeing two figures.

She grasped Loke's key.

"Well, well," a man said, approaching her, withonly a fur-lined vest on, with messy blonde hair and cool blue eyes glared at her. "A fairy fly has lost her way."

"We should leave," another, quite bored voice said.

"Not until we put this fairy brat in her place," the man grinned.

Lucy threw her head back in laughter. She just couldn't help it.

"Stop laughing, _fly."_ She was hit in the gut and flew back a few steps.

She only grinned wider as she took out what would be considered her most useless key.

"Open, gate of Canis Minor! Plue!"

A cute little snowman thing came out.

Taken aback, the two just stared at Plue.

Then Lucy cackled, and shouted, "Open, gate of the lion! Leo!"

Loke came out and said, with a grin, "It's been a while, hasn't it, Lucy, my love?"

Lucy sweatdropped. "I'm not your love! Help me fight these guys off!"

Loke smirked. "Your wish is my command."

Lucy felt something hit her. She pouted as she looked at her shirt.

"I liked this shirt." She looked at the man in front of her, then gasped as she felt liquid dripping out of the wound.

"Serves you right, you fairy fly."

"Sting..."

"No, I'm not done. We should teach these fairies a lesson."

Lucy's eyes widened. _Team Shadowgear and Akira...they were nailed to the tree._

Lucy's hands fisted. "Not as long as I live, you won't," she said darkly, a power in her rising, healing the wound quickly. Lucy's powere manifested, and she grabbed her keys and yelled out their gates, not even seeing a flash of water come-from another source-to help her.

"Gate of the Maiden! Virgo! Gate of the Archer, Sagittarius! Gate of the Sea Goat, Capricorn!" Lucy stepped forward, golden energy enveloping her. "Gate of the Giant Crab, Cancer! Gate of the Ram, Aries! Gate of the Twins, Gemini!"

"She can summon more spirits than Yukino, if she's even summoning them," the blonde one breathed. Lucy glared at him, her kind brown eyes hard and angry.

"Gate of the Scorpion, Scorpio! Gate of the Water Bearer, Aquarius! Gate of the Golden Bull, Taurus! OPEN!"

All of the Zodiac gates were open...and Lucy grabbed her whip.

"Ready for a fight?" Lucy questioned.

The Zodiac keys grinned.

And then Sting-or whatever his name was-attacked Lucy. An explosion occured, and a battle started.

The twelve Zodiacs helped here and there, Aquarius ending it with her water blast and (accidentally) flooding some houses nearby.

"Their fault!" Lucy shouted, pointing a finger with her left hand, her Water Bearer 'mysteriously' absent. "They attacked me!" Lucy buried her face in her hands, hoping they'd believe that she was crying when she was actually shaking with laughter.

"Arrest them! They attacked that innocent Fairy Tail member!"

"What?!" Sting shouted in disbelief. An army guy suddenly appeared, slapping magic-resistant cuffs on the two men.

Then the army guy waved his hand and the two were transported elsewhere. Lucy realized this guy was Akira's-if she was to be believed-dad.

"Lahar-san," she greeted.

"Lucy," he said. "I must discuss something with you."

Lucy sighed.

She took him to her home.

"Should I call you 'Uncle'?" she teased the male, who looked decidedly uncomfortable.

He shrugged, indifferent.

"Okay then, don't talk. Let's make Lucy uncomfortable," Lucy muttered sarcastically.

"Sorry?" Lahar tried. Lucy gave him a scathing look.

"It's fine," she growled, banging a pot onto the stove, a bit too hard. "Dang it!" She lit the fire and made some dinner while Lahar just stood there awkwardly.

After a few minutes, the pasta she had made was done and Lucy poured it into five bowls.

"Expecting company?" Lahar asked, tilting his head.

As if on cue, a banging noise came from Lucy's bedroom.

"OW!" Natsu cried.

Lucy sighed and added jalapeño sauce onto one of the bowls.

Then she poured a sixth bowl and put it into the microwave.

"Come on out, guys," Lucy called, setting places at the table.

Lahar sat, then raised his eyebrows when Team Natsu sheepishly came out.

"What's HE doing here?" Natsu demanded. Lucy glowered at him.

"For your information, he arrested two mages who tried to kick my ass, but I summoned all of my Golden Zodiac Keys and Plue, successfully distracting them and then Aquarius flooded everything and I blamed it on them," she said, quite calmly. Lahar sighed.

"I'm also her uncle," he said quietly.

Crickets chirped.

"WHAT?!" Natsu, Gray, and Happy all yelled...and then they heard fighting.

"HE'S MINE!"

"NO, MINE!"

Lucy facepalmed.

"JUVIA AND MIZU, IF YOU DON'T QUIET DOWN I'M GOING TO KICK YOU OUT!" She yelled, quieting everyone down.

"Wow, Lucy," a cool voice said, "if I didn't know you from Akira's thoughts I would be amazed at your lack of decorum at the dinner table."

Lucy whirled, then abandoned her seat to tackle the girl standing there.

"Aza! I can't believe you're actually here! Where have you been? Lyric and Renna reunited and you're the last one-"

"I know, Lucy, calm down. I had to take Akira shopping," she explained, gesturing to her outfit. "I should sleep. I haven't for seven years. Good luck." The red eyed girl closed her eyes and her black hair changed from black to green-and-blue.

Akira staggered, then cleared her throat.

"I don't think," she began, opening her eyes, "I shall ever do that again. What smells so good? And...Dad?" She asked, staring at Lahar, who'd gone still.

"Daughter," he acknowledged.

"What's up?" she asked, smiling...then freezing when she touched Lucy's hand. "Shit, Lucy, what did you do?"

Lucy frowned and shrugged. "I don't know, depends," she replied. Akira turned towards the people seated at the dining table.

"Lahar can stay, but I need everyone out and for Mizu to get Selene, Lyra, Lyric, and Renna over here." At Team Natsu's loud objections, Akira's magical pressure increased tenfold, and that wasn't even a small slice of her normal power.

"Do it or else," she snarled.

Lucy sighed.

"I am really, really starting to hate the fact that I never got to Awaken earlier," she muttered, suddenly drowsy.

Akira rolled her eyes, putting a smile on her face (for Lucy's sake, and hers alone).

"You wouldn't have wanted to at all," she replied.


	2. Queen

That night, Lucy Heartfilia became a fully-fledged Conduit. Akira had just fallen asleep when it started...

_Blackness. Dark, damp._

_She tries to look around; nothing ever stands out. Just the same old blackness._

_A blinding light comes from nowhere, hurting her eyes. She cowers, fear and sorrow in her very blood. A burning smell, like charred flesh, reaches her nostrils._

_Her sister is dead. She's next._

_A hand ghosts out from nowhere._

_"Please!" she sobs, knowing it would get her killed faster. "Please, don't do this! Please don't kill me!"_

_The hidden figure laughs._

_"Kill you? No...I'm just going to make you suffer." A light, too bright for her eyes, appears out of nowhere. She whimpers as the light moves away from her. Slowly, agonizingly slowly, the figure's face is revealed._

_"Wake up!" the figure cries._

Akira's eyes flew open, her breathing hard.

She blinked and realized the smell that was coming from the kitchen was eggs. Burned eggs.

Clapping a hand over her mouth, she made it to the bathroom before throwing up, being violently sick.

"Who's cooking?" She croaked...and immediately regretted it.

Selene stood there, smiling idiotically.

"I made us some eggs!"

Mizu was staring at her plate like something had died on it, Lahar looking faintly green, and Lucy was looking anywhere but the blackened eggs.

"Joy," Akira whispered. "Not hungry. Anyone else want to come with me on my walk?"

Everyone but Selene jumped up and was out the door, Lucy sneaking some money in her pocket.

"Bye, Selene. Meet us in a few hours at the guild?" Akira asked, and Selene nodded.

Akira vacated the room.

~:~

When Selene looked at the other plates, she frowned.

"They could've told me!"

~:~

The three teens and Mizu's and Akira's dad practically gorged themselves on freshly, fully cooked eggs with pancakes and bacon and freshly squeezed orange juice.

All four spent at least an hour just chatting, and when they ordered dessert, content to keep this lively atmosphere among them, Lahar was the first to address the three about their future plans.

Akira shrugged, the nightmare she'd had still hanging over her head.

"I know I still have to go through the Trials," Mizu said, her face serious. Akira nodded.

"So do Lucy and I." At Lahar's questioning look, Akira waved his question away. "The firstborn children don't go through the Trials. Lyra has to go through them as well."

"Trials?" Lucy asked, intrigued.

"Tests," Akira said, waving her fork around. "Sickness. It's different for everyone, but I'e decided to go through Sickness. I wouldn't do well with blind luck."

"It also makes you virtually human. Our pain threshold, which is severely high, will go down, we can get sick easier, we can die by mundane means, blah blah blah. I honestly don't think Lucy will go through them; she just Awakened," Mizu said, frowning at her sister.

Akira shrugged. Then she notice both Lucy's and Lahar's confused looks.

"I'm an Infernal Key-Master and a Dragon Slayer, right?" Lucy nodded. "My Conduit magic will be barred from me. For ten days before my birthday, I have to survive all manners of sickness. It could be one, it could be many. Mizu said she plans on using her 'dumb luck' to win her Trials."

"Oh..." Lucy said, lookin shocked. Akira nodded grimly.

"Yes. Mizu, you should choose the Sickness."

"No. 'Sides, your Trials started this morning, as did mine, remember?"

Akira dropped her fork, her face horrified.

So her nightmare was just because of her Trials... _Fuck._

A red blush came over Akira quickly, turning her face red as she realized just _what_ time of year her damned birthday arrived before.

January 1st was the triplets' birthday and only six weeks before Dragon Mating season.

Shit.

Mizu had dropped her fork, too, having come to the same realization.

Akira clapped her hand over her mouth as she darted to the bathroom of the restaurant, leaving Mizu to tell their dad.

~:~

Mizu's mortification made her mumble out some crap about dragons and their damned heat cycles.

Lahar had turned a sickly pale, and Mizu had excused herself.

After all, pure 'dumb luck' could only get Mizu so far.

~:~

Three days into the Trials Akira was coughing up blood.

Aza was unable to heal her, as the Trials were necessary for a coming-of-age Conduit. She kept a cloth near her at all times, knowing that soon she'd fall into a coma if she kept coughing like that.

She did, too; shocking the rest of the guild. Mizu had surprisingly good luck the entire ten days, only occasionally getting really bad luck. Lyra was also in a Trial-induced coma (she'd chosen being sick over testing her own luck, she wasn't _that_ stupid), and a letter from the princess came to Lucy.

~:~

"It's not as if any of us knew the triplets were considered heirs to the throne-they didn't even know it," Lucy had explained to Lahar.

The letter read:

_Dearest Lucy,_

_Of course I remember you! Who wouldn't? I'm surprised you contacted me after all these years. I was afraid you'd died._

_I'm not too surprised at you becoming a Celestial mage; Lady Layla was always so stubborn, and I was certain you were like her._

_Is Akira okay? Don't tell anyone, but she was my favorite of the triplets. I feel so horrible-I and my father thought them dead._

_Onto the other subject of us meeting-perhaps at this year's Grand Magic Games you could come and see me with your extended family? I will be glad to give the contestants several abandoned rooms in the castle. Your master may come as well, with three people of his own choosing. I will personally sponsor Fairy Tail, if you are inclined to share with me the teams given._

_Tell Master Makarov I plan to put together a team of Dragon Slayers and a team of extraordinarily destructive guild members. I really think that this year's Games will be interesting, do you not?_

_Love from,_

_Hisui_

"Master Makarov!" Lucy shouted, catching everyone's attention.

"Yes, child?" Makarov asked. He had just decided that Fairy Tail would become the Number 1 guild-at the Grand Magic Games.

"Well..." Lucy hesitated, then blurted out: "Princess Hisui wants to sponsor Team Natsu and a Dragon Slayer team in the Grand Magic Games."

Makarov looked at the Celestial wizard with shock.

"How do you know this?" Erza asked, and Lucy smirked.

"Well, it just so happens that Princess Hisui and the triplets are cousins."

There was a dead silence.

Then the guild as a whole shouted, "WHAT?!"

"And that's not half of it," Lucy snickered. "We can stay in the castle!"

Makarov fainted. Erza looked shocked and several other members' eyes twitched.

"Yay!" Mizu yelled. "Cousin Hisui-wait...Hisui's our cousin?!"

Lucy facepalmed. "Yes! Baka!"

"I didn't know Hisui was a princess," Selene said, frowning. Then she closed her eyes, her face scrunching up in pain.

Mizu hissed. "We'll be back!" Mizu grabbed Lyra while Selene grabbed Akira and left the guild.

"What's wrong with them?" asked another random person.

"It's their birthday tomorrow," Lucy said, making eye contact with Al. He nodded. "They're turning eighteen. One will inherit the gold and silver hair, I hope." When Lucy had finished her own Awakening after returning from Tenrou, she'd been granted with the same information everyone else had.

"Does the silver and gold hair mean something in particular?" Levy asked, ready to learn a lot about a culture people knew little to nothing about.

"It means," Lucy said, shrugging, "one of them will become the Queen. If none of them do, they'll have to wait. I can see a great queen in Selene; not so much in Akira or Mizu. Lyra doesn't have the patience to be a queen."

"True," Al quietly agreed.

~:~

When the guild opened the next day, they were surprised to see an exitable Mizu there, along with a lethargic Akira and Lyra. Selene was nowhere to be found.

"Where's-"

"Praying to the Mother that she becomes queen," Akira mumbled tiredly. "The queen, by the way, will actually come into this generation..." Lyra was already asleep...leaning on her babies.

"Is that comfortable?" Freed asked Bickslow, wide-eyed.

Bickslow shook his head. "Nope, but I admire her tenacity." (He admired _other_ things to, like her breasts).

"I wish I were a Conduit," Wendy said wistfully. Akira flinched, Mizu stopping her exited state as guilt appeared on their faces.

Charle was the one to speak up, voicing something that Akira didn't want to.

"She _is,_ isn't she?"

There was a pregnant silence.

"...Yes," Akira admitted reluctantly.

"Our vow of silence made us unable to say anything unless someone asked directly," Mizu said defensively.

Akira stood up and looked at the door, Selene entering the doors.

"It's time," Selene said. Lyra's babies pushed the water dragon/seith mage out the door and into the field, where Angel of the former Oración Seis stood.

Her hair was now pure silver, and she looked less evil than she used to.

"Ready?" Angel asked, a tangible amount of excitement pouring out of her.

"Nope," deadpanned Akira. "I'm not looking forward to seeing Selene as Queen."

"I want to be Queen," pouted Mizu.

"So does Lyra," Renna observed, also coming out of the shadows, Lyric in tow. "You don't want to be Queen?"

"I'd screw it up," Akira said, shrugging. "Let's just get this damn transformation over with."

Renna nodded. "It takes five hours for the transformation to complete. I'd advise you to be completely still. Oh," she added, a wicked smirk appearing on her face. "Don't scream."

Renna raised her hand, having done this for Lyric once. Lyric raised her hand, summoning her power. Angel rose her hand as well, calling forth the unused Celestial magic.

Cora appeared, another couple Conduits in tow.

"Fairy Tail can stay," Selene said, a smile on her face. "They should be witnesses."

It was an unspoken shock that reverberated through the Full Conduits; a ceremony like this was emotional for all those involved and watching.

"Very well," Cora whispered. "We shall begin."

At first, the light was brilliant. So brilliant it was like a casting of Fairy Law.

~:~

Laxus, who was watching from behind the trees, saw everything. How, when it touched the Conduits', it seemed to create within them a warmth that was pure. It seemed to radiate... _love._

The light dimmed, but the feeling remained.

Laxus squinted as the light seemed to grow brighter when it connected to Akira. Something was happening...someone was being Chosen.

~:~

The light dimmed enough to where even the curious people of Magnolia could not see it.

One had been Chosen for the Queenship...and then powerful magic seemed to fill the air, magical pressure almost hurting even the people who couldn't feel it.

When Selene, Mizu, and Lyra opened their eyes to see their simple silver hair, they were obviously disappointed.

Then they saw their Sister, and joy suffused them.

Golden streaks filled her hair.

Their Queen was Akirakaza Soliana-Fiore, daughter of Elaine Soliana and middle sister to Selinia and Mizuza Soliana-Fiore.

Yeah...the world was doomed.


	3. Mating Season Failure and Teams

Lyric anxiously waited outside the infirmary that Akira was currently in. Actually, the triplets and Lyra were still in there, all of them waking up at different times and then passing back out soon afterwards. It soon became routine for Lyric to hear their fevered mutterings-going on a week now.

The process to become a Conduit was normally finished as soon as the light died down, but with four Conduits Awakening and the Queen finally coming into existence, it seemed to be even longer than it should have been.

Akira hadn't woken up yet. She was still unconscious, Porlyusica doing everything she could to keep her healthy.

Power seemed to ripple through the air, making Cora, Renna, Lucy, and Lyric all turn to the infirmary. One of the Conduits was finally awake.

"Someone has finally fully Ascended," Lyric whispered. Renna nodded.

"Indeed," she replied.

Lucy was playing with Plue.

"Cool," Lucy said absently. "Will it be like this on my birthday?"

"More than likely only Akira will make you Ascend. The vetting process of Ascension occurs twice, and that's only if the Conduits are beginning to misuse their power. This generation of Conduits is the biggest generation since four hundred years ago," Cora said factually. The rest of the guild had been long gone, Porlyusica saying she'd come back in the morning.

"Oh," Lucy said. "So does that mean it'll happen again?"

"It's possible," Cora responded. "But in all honesty...I don't really know. I've only ever heard about it from...not really trustworthy sources who sold Conduit books on the black market. I bought as many as I could without being suspicious, but we all know how that turned out."

The door to the infirmary opened and Lyra stumbled out, Extalia flying with her.

"Ugh," Lyra moaned. The magical pressure seemed to be tangilbe now-raw energy that made the air seem thick.

"Your MP," Lyric reminded Lyra. "And your hair," she added. Lyra's hair was silver, but quickly turned blue. Her eyes remained their fascinating sapphire, possibly because the violet was lighter than the contacts were.

The pressure vanished. "Sorry," Lyra apologized. "Not really used to...well, this amount of power at my fingertips at once." She closed her visible eye. "Now I have to relearn to turn off my damned Figure Eye again."

Then the magical pressure spiked again.

"Who is it now?" Renna sighed. Lucy shrugged.

"Probably Selene-Lyra _is_ the oldest." Lucy summoned Loke, who smiled at her.

"What is it you wish, my dear love?" Loke purred.

Lucifer suddenly appeared.

"She's mine," Lucifer said, embracing Lucy.

"I just wanted to have a friendly chat," Lucy whispered, looking pleadingly at Lyric, who was silently laughing.

The door to the infirmary opened again, this time releasing Mizu and Selene.

"Ugh..." Selene muttered, the magical pressure almost suffocating.

"MP," Lyric said, and the magical pressure vanished. "And hair."

"Sorry," Selene and Mizu apologized in unison. Their hair turned their respective colors-Mizu's green and Selene's blue. Mizu's onyx eyes returned, as did Selene's new dark blue.

Lyric stiffened soon after they'd finished changing.

The magical pressure was suffocating. The Queen was awake.

As soon as the magical pressure dwindled-but did not entirely vanish-the door opened and out stumbled Akira, her silver-and-gold hair standing out quite vividly as the Conduits in front of her kneeled.

"Guys," Akira slurred, "Whatsamatter?" She fell with a thud on her face, breathing evenly.

The Conduits burst out laughing.

~:~

"Majesty," Mizu said, sweeping into a bow, making yet another irk mark appear on Akira's face. Mizu snickered under her breath as Akira scowled at her, knowing why Akira was glaring at her like that.

"Majesty, what should I do with your glass?" another, random Conduit named Salor asked, a cheerful smile on her face.

"Throw it in the river," Akira said sarcastically. "And maybe throw yourself in, too," she added, under her breath.

"If that's your wish, it shall be done," Salor said, looking sad.

"I was kidding," Akira huffed. Another Conduit came up to her as she got up. The entire guild was watching with stunned amazement as Conduits tried to help their queen by offering their loyalty, their love, and their services.

"What I really want," Akira said testily, "is for you to do your normal jobs in your normal live in your normal towns or wherever you live and not worry about me being your queen! And don't call me 'Majesty' 'cuz I'm just another Conduit like you, only with striped hair!"

The Conduits bowed, said 'Yes, your Highness' (causing Akira to gain yet _another_ irk mark) and vanished.

Mizu snorted, then started full-out guffawing.

"You..." she cackled. "You should have _seen_ how pissed you were!"

Akira closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to calm down before her anger got away from her.

"You...are the most irresponsible child I have the misfortune to be related to," she growled. Mizu snorted.

"You know I'm awesome," she cooed, hugging her sister.

"Don't ever do that to me again," Akira barked, shoving her sister off. There was no real anger in her last sentence, just resignation.

"No can do~" Mizu said, doing the exact same thing again.

Akira just sighed and shook her head. "I am actually embarrassed to be related to you."

Team Natsu had left for a mission-and it was a good thing, too. If yet another brawl had started, Natsu would've probably destroyed the guild hall (and they didn't exactly have the money to fix it-or to reclaim their old guild hall) because he would be affected by the atmosphere that surrounded _all_ of the dragon slayers.

Unfortunately for some of the female dragon slayers, they'd basically have the same mating heat as the male dragon slayers; those that didn't have a male dragon slayer mate would scent their mate and use any and all of their magic to get to their mates...unless they were out cold or they themselves weren't ready yet. Out of all the dragon slayers in Fairy Tail, Mizu was the only one not ready. It was probably her Conduit sense, or it may have been common sense. Who knows?

Akira, however, wanted to find her mate. Badly. She secretly hoped it was Laxus, but until Dragon Mating season she wouldn't know.

On February 1st to the 14th she would definitely be able to tell.

~:~

February 1st quickly approached. To ease her dread, Akira drank excessively and fought a lot.

On January 31st she got completely drunk-for the first time in her life, mind you-and Selene was the one who had to drag her home.

"Great, you couldn't be more obvious," Selene hissed to her. "Could you at least be sober during the most important time of your life?"

Akira shook her head. "Nervous," she said, and that was one of the few coherent things she said all night.

Selene sighed. "Can't say I blame you." She set Akira down and patted her head. "Want me to sing you a song?"

Akira nodded.

Selene nodded, and took a deep breath.

" _Come little children_

_I’ll take thee away_

_Into a land of enchantment_

_Come little children_

_The time’s come to play_

_Here in my garden of shadows_

_Follow, sweet children_

_I’ll show thee the way_

_Through all the pain and the sorrows_

_Weep not poor children_

_For life is this way_

_Murdering beauty and passions_

_Hush now, dear children_

_It must be this way_

_To weary of life and deceptions_

_Rest now, my children_

_For soon we’ll away_

_Into the calm and the quiet_

_Come little children_

_I’ll take thee away_

_Into a land of enchantment_

_Come little children_

_The time’s come to play_

_Here in my garden of shadows_."

"Depressing," Akira pouted.

Selene gave her a look.

"But you have a pretty voice, sis," Akira said, her eyes falling closed even as she spoke.

Selene smiled triumphantly and watched her sister's face as she slept peacefully. The smile turned a bit sad. Selene knew she wasn't ready for a mate yet-she was willing to wait. Akira was the only one of the sisters who was going to have a mate this year.

Selene smiled...and then she stopped.

She ran out, back into the guild, stopping Lyra, who was talking to Bickslow, a smirk on her face as their babies conversed with each other, telling stories of their masters.

"Lyra, I need to...talk to Poison," she said, breathing heavily.

Lyra nodded. She stood up, telling her babies to remain, and walked outside briskly.

With a small spike in magical pressure, Poison opened her eyes.

"Yes, Selene?"

"Who did you kill in Enca? Who did _Aza_ kill in Enca?"

"The lead scientist in the Facility, why? She ripped his heart out, but didn't eat it," she hastily added at Selene's grossed-out look.

"Ew, nasty. Uh, there were two others," she said, straight to the point. "Renna told me-before we Ascended-that there were two others...we need to somehow skip Dragon Slayer Mating season."

"How?" Poison questioned, then her eyes widened. "Oh! Okay. I suppose we could do that."

Selene nodded. "I'm sorry that I'm basically ripping the chance away from Akira, but she cannot afford-none of us can-to put our mates in that sort of danger."

Poison nodded, inhaling sharply. "I'll inform the guild."

Selene nodded. "Tell Aza as well!" she called.

Poison nodded as she re-entered the guild.

~:~

Poison took a deep breath. The guild members watched with mild curiosity as Poison stepped onto the bar and let out an ear-piercing whistle.

"Guild members of Fairy Tail," she said, her voice silky. "The Soli triplets, Lucy, Lisanna, and I will be taking a few weeks' vacation. I apologize to the dragon slayers that were hoping they could...do their thing with their hopeful mates, but unfortunately we cannot afford to put any of you in the amount of danger that can come at any time. If the danger that is expected to come does, then we will be able to mate with the few males we might wish to. If it does not within this year, we will be mounting an attack against the people we're expecting. That is all I wanted to say. Thank you." Poison left, not daring to turn her head as Poison took Lisanna's arm and dragged her out of the guild.

"What's wrong, Poison?" Lisanna softly asked, and Poison felt tears sting her eyes.

"I just wish...that for once, we could be happy. But Selene is right-until the people that harmed us are dead, we cannot live in peace." Poison looked at Lisanna, her eyes full of remorse. "I am so, so sorry, Lisanna."

"It's all right, I understand," Lisanna said. She changed into her demon.

~:~

Laxus couldn't smell her anymore. She usually smelled like a rose, blooming out of season. Now she smelled...sharper, clearer. Fresh.

Any remnants of her scent teased him mercilessly.

Her demon left faint traces of roses, but the scent faded the longer she was away.

His nose twitched. He smelled the barest hint of the freshest rose...and then it vanished.

Below him, Natsu and Gajeel slumped.

Natsu slumping was almost immediately noticed. Levy soon noticed Gajeel slumping in his seat. Laxus' team saw him look down in defeat.

At least he knew Akira was his mate, but he also knew Akira would be hard-pressed to become his mate without her instincts driving her nuts. There was one other time in the year that dragons and dragon slayers mated, but that was in September.

"Her scent's gone," Laxus informed the other three of the Rajinshuu.

"Too bad," Bickslow said, wiggling his tongue.

"Too bad, too bad!" Bickslow's and Lyra's babies chorused.

Bickslow grinned at his and Lyra's babies.

~:~

To say Natsu was hurt was an understatement. He was depressed and really mopey. Until the flower-scented girl _(Lisanna,_ his mind supplied) came back, he would remain moody.

It shocked the guild when he finally slumped over, unable to catch anything that resembled Lisanna's fresh scent. It dulled until it was her normal scent-meaning now she was fair game for all.

Dragons were tempermental creatures-if someone else mated with their mate, it was a battle to the death for the hand of the maiden. If she rejected the victor, they both were to live lives of solitude.

Lisanna was _his._ He and Lisanna would face their trials _together._ Starting when she got back.

He hoped she wouldn't be hanging onto another guy when she did-that would make his heart tear in two.

~:~

Gajeel sighed as the last of the vanilla and strawberry scent of Lucy Heartfilia faded. Regretfully, she was the only one he could really stand to be his mate. Levy was interested in another guy...Not that he was interested in Levy in anything other than friendship.

After everything he'd done to her, Lucy had been willing to give him a chance to teach her his magic.

He thanked whatever deity existed that she'd been willing to be taught.

He prayed that she was safe. If she was hurt...well, if she was hurt, he'd rip out the spine of whoever did the hurting.

"Okay, listen up, brats!" Makarov shouted. "The dragon slayer team will be as follows! Gajeel Redfox! Akirakaza Soli! Mizuza Soli! Laxus Dreyar! And Lyrasuza Fierce!"

Gajeel crunched on his metal.

"Team Natsu will be on Team B!" Happy cheered. "Happy not included and replaced by Selinia Soli!"

Happy deflated.

Charle looked sad for Happy-then looked away from him when he looked directly at her, a blush on her face.

Pantherlily gazed at Extalia raptly, like she was his reason for living...which was actually quite gross to Asuka.

"Ew, Mommy! He's staring at her like Daddy does you!"

Blushes coated Bisca and Alzack's faces.

The doors opened, and the rest of the Dragon slayer team walked in. Laxus' head jerked up, but Gajeel noticed Akira didn't even look in Laxus' direction. When Lucy walked in-safe and unharmed-he breathed a sigh of relief, but frowned when she didn't look at him, avoiding his gaze. Even Lisanna avoided Natsu, which looked like it wounded Natsu.

Gajeel knew. The danger they spoke of-it must be even more dangerous than binding themselves to a dragon for eternity.

A paper suddenly flew in his face.

Lucy's handwriting was there, the paper smelling of vanilla and strawberries.

Her note shocked him.

_We can't mate until we find the dragons, Gajeel. I know I'm your mate-apparently Selene can sense stuff like that. I'm so, so sorry._

He looked up to see Natsu and Laxus reading notes they'd just received, both of them meeting Gajeel's gaze and nodding.

They understood. If that's what it took, they would find the dragons first.


	4. The Last Keys of the Zodiac

_I cannot fail. I'm so close. So very close. I have to make it, I have to make it! If I don't-_

_Pass the bowl, please!_

_Run and hide! Far from here! RUN!_

The thoughts of a few Conduits in different areas assualted Akira while she was getting ready to train for the Grand Magic Games (simply to keep up appearances). She winced, but shut out the loud voices.

They were on the beach and Natsu and Gray had frozen and then defrosted the ocean several times (to the amazement and horror of the spectators). Akira had just shaken her head and mourned because they were being idiots.

"Hime-sama!" Virgo said in her monotone. "There is something bad happening in the Spirit Realm!" Lucifer, who had been suavely talking a lady to take him to her room (but the lady had been persistent and refused, even after three nosebleeds and her subsequent passing out) darted over to Virgo.

"Where?" he demanded, searching the Maiden's eyes.

The Maiden said nothing, only looked to Lucy.

"Of course we'll help," Lucy exlaimed, the Dragon Slayers, Team Shadowgear, Team Demon, and Team Natsu all converging to give the spirit their support...only to be transported directly to the Spirit Realm.

However, Jet and Droy were left behind.

~:~

The magic of the Spirit World shone and twinkled around them.

"Wear these, Hime-samas," Virgo said, handing clothes to Akira and Lucy first. "Here you go," she said monotonously, speaking to the others.

Suddenly the Spirit King appeared, and Lucy straightened. "What was it that you needed, Stache Face?" she asked, Akira snickering a little.

The Celestial Spirit King simply stared at her...then smiled brilliantly with teeth.

"Welcome, Lucy," he said. Then his red eyes fixed to Akira's. "And welcome, Infernal Queen."

"Hello," she waved.

Suddenly, redness appeared, and Akira saw her spirits looking upon the Celestial World with awe.

"Oh my gods," Akira whispered, tears filling her eyes. "No. No." She looked at the Celestial King.

"You are now the Fairy, child," the Celestial King said. "The ruler of the Infernal Stars." Akira bowed. "Now, Andromeda wishes to speak to you. Go enjoy."

A door opened in front of Akira.

She tentatively stepped into the room, her eyes cautious.

"Hello, Akirakaza." A golden-haired woman stood in front of her. "I am sorry I never got to make amends with my sister."

"So it's true," Akira whispered.

Andromeda nodded.

"All she ever wanted from you...was love," Akira said, tilting her head, listening to her Mother's anguish.

"I know," Andromeda sighed. "I am so very sorry that we never got the chance to make it up."

"You have a chance now," Akira responded. "Tell her, before she vanishes forever inside my own spirit."

Andromeda placed a hand on Akira's chest, over her heart.

"I love you," she breathed, and Akira felt a pulse of warmth emanate through Andromeda-and an answering pulse vibrated through Akira's body.

"She loves you, too," Akira whispered.

Andromeda let her hand fall down.

"I'm sorry, I can't do much else," Andromeda apologized.

"She never hated you." Akira looked to the stars. "Nobody could. I should leave." She went to leave when Andromeda made no move to stop her. "She took your darkness in and became my Mother for _you._ "

Without waiting for a response, Akira left, slipping out of the door.

~:~

She waited for the party to end, having been able to witness her new subjects (which was understandably shocking to her) interacting with their opposites.

Then the voices in her mind made her clutch her head in pain, and it took several minutes to shut them up.

Finally, the Celestial Spirit King called all of them back.

"You may keep the clothes," the Spirit King said, chuckling. "You might need them again."

Everyone bowed.

"Thank you," Levy called timidly.

"You're welcome," the Spirit King said warmly. "Now, be warned-one day here is three months in the human world."

Akira's eye twitched.

"WHAT?!" the guild chorused as they got sent back to Earthland.

"Damn you, Stache Face!" Lucy yelled.

~:~

Soon, Akira stood at the entrance to her cousin Hisui E. Fiore's castle. Makarov had decided only the teams should stay there (plus Al, but who counts him?).

As her guard, Arcadios, appeared, the guards looked shocked that the Fairy Tail contenders were personal friends of the king's daughter. Or, more technically, that the Soli triplets were Hisui's cousins.

The triplets, Lyra, Al, and Lucy were all shown to the drawing room, whereas Arcadios had told another few guards to show the other 'honored guests' to their rooms.

When the cousins were all seated, they only waited a few minutes for Hisui to enter-and their jaws dropped. A lady of elegance entered, her green hair familiar and her eyes a striking jade-hence her name, Hisui.

"Hisui?" Akira whispered. Hisui nodded.

"Akira?" she replied, and her gaze scanned the family. "Selene, Mizu, Lucy, Al, Lyra...it's been forever." Akira stood up...and promptly flew into Hisui's arms. Arcadios' hand was on his sword, but he relaxed when the cousins converged in what looked like a reunion.

"We can talk freely in here," Hisui said once they'd retracted and all of them had sat down. "Arcadios is my most trusted confidante."

"Because he knows secrets that could probably destroy the entire Fiore nation?"

Hisui allowed a small smirk to grace her face at that remark that was so typical of Akira.

"Possibly," Hisui allowed. "He knows that my family practices dark magic." Arcadios stiffened.

"Highness, I don't think-"

"Arcadios, I think I can trust my Conduit cousins...plus Al, who is technically guilty by association," she added. Al nodded sheepishly.

"How can you be friends with such...creatures?" Arcadios questioned.

Al stiffened. "If you would be so kind and not call my sister and her sisters by magic _creatures_ , I'll explain it to you."

"Please, do," Arcadios invited.

"They're family," Al said sharply. "I have never, ever-and possibly won't ever again-meet such sacrificing people. They're damned stubborn, ridiculous, and sometimes I'm embarrassed to be related to them. But above all-above any fights they have or even have had-they continue to strive for a better tomorrow for their own kind. As a part of Fairy Tail, if you harm them..." Al's eyes were dark. "I will _obliterate_ you. If you threaten them...I will _obliterate_ you. Get it?"

The females in the room were wide-eyed, except Akira.

"Come on, Al, be nice," she whined.

Arcadios nodded, apparently having come to a conclusion.

"I have decided," he said, "to join you in your endeavors to make a better tomorrow for the Conduits, my ladies."

"Eh," Akira said, shrugging. "There isn't much you can do. And don't call us ladies-we're not royalty."

"You are," Selene said, smirking jaggedly.

Both Arcadios and Hisui heard her.

"What?" they asked in sync.

Akira closed her eyes. They watched as her hair faded from aquamarine to gold and silver.

"I am Queen of the Infernal Keys and Queen of the Conduits," she muttered, looking embarrassed.

"Wow," Hisui breathed. "How long?"

"Eh...a few weeks. A month, tops," Akira responded. She shrugged. "It doesn't matter. All I want to do is tell you about the last few years."

"Last _few_?" Hisui said with an arched brow. "When does 'the last seventeen years' equate to a _few?_ "

"It's, uh, only been ten for us," Akira said. "I, uh, want you to meet someone else. Actually, Lyra and I do."

"Are you serious?" Lyra hissed, looking shocked that they'd do that. "You want me to show her? I'm not like you-I'm not so damned reckless!"

"It's the only way," Selene said, cutting the two off. "It's the only way she'll be able to fully trust us."

"What are you talking about?" Hisui questioned, narrowing her eyes. These were not the cousins that were seven years old-Hisui had to remember that it had been eighteen years since she'd last seen them. Ten years if the seven years meant nothing to them (oh, she'd heard about the Tenroujima fiasco), but for Hisui it had been eighteen, counting this year and missing the triplets' and the twins' birthdays.

"You've probably heard of the expression of people being possessed by demons, right?" Hisui nodded. It was just a bit of late magical power appearing in children or adults or even curses placed on them. Selene shifted as she spoke again. "For Akira and Lyra...it's very literal sometimes."

"How so?" Hisui asked, and then Mizu cleared her throat.

"Inside of them, a demon of..." she hesitated, then threw caution to the wind. "A demon of Zeref lies beneath the surface."

Arcadios gaped unnatractively. Hisui's eyes were wide-but not in horror.

"Show us," Hisui said. Akira calmly sipped her tea. "Please," Hisui added, knowing what Akira wanted.

In a few seconds, Akira's slumped posture had become straight, her hair black, and a symbol on her forehead appeared. When her eyes opened, they were a startling crimson.

Lyra's hair turned dull silver, and her eyes also turned crimson.

"I am Yorokobi-or Azakarika. While not in my full form I prefer Aza," Aza calmly said, still sipping the tea.

"I am Kirai in my full form, but I prefer Poison," the other demon said coolly.

"Wow," Hisui breathed. "Have you found a way to..." She frowned when Poison shook her head.

"We may have had a way, once, but now we have integrated into their souls. Akira trusted and acceped the fact she may be stuck with me, but...I know that sometimes she's had her regrets." Aza looked down as Poison stood up.

"We have a sister, but I think it is better for us not to tell you her identity. I know you dabble in the dark magics, and I would warn you away from trying to get the Keys to awaken Master Zeref. He is already awake," she said, cutting Arcadios off. "Aza and I were not on Tenroujima. Instead we served with our Master for those missing years and pushed Akira and Lyra deep into sleep. Their minds are fragile now-so we have to be careful," Poison warned.

Aza took over. "After the Grand Magic Games we will have to figure out a way to stop Akira's mind from breaking-and Lyra's too, of course," she added upon seeing the nasty look Poison threw her. "If her mind does shatter...there is no telling what will happen."

"Why are their minds breaking?" Selene asked, frowing. It was clear to Hisui and Arcadios that this news was shocking to them.

"Selene, imagine your body and soul has a four-hundred year-old demon who's slaughtered thousands of innocents and has a ton of memories combined with your own memories-some of which include blowing up a facility-all compressed inside. Now, imagine all of that energy snapping, and you have a live bomb on your hands." Aza's vivid explanation made Hisui feel nauseous.

"I didn't..." Mizu said, her voice small.

"None of you did," Aza said, sounding perfectly calm. "She might have had a chance if she'd _mated._ "

Selene paled.

"Oh, no," she said, putting her head in her hands. "I just killed my sister!"

"Nope," Poison said. "If we keep Akira and Lyra from seeing this converstation and slowly-veerrry slowly-getting their minds and souls ready for the complete merge of our souls, there is a chance they might survive."

"What do you mean, 'complete merge'?" Hisui asked carefully.

"We have to become _one_ with our hosts so that they can no longer differentiate between the demon and the actual host. We would be a single mind in a single entity." Poison started to pace. "Since Akira and Lyra are dominant in us-and our sister's host is more dominant as well-we will merge with them. They will recieve our memories and in their darkest hour, we will again separate to form two different consciousnesses. We wanted to tell you now because it seemed the proper way to do things."

Hisui's mind swam with this news.

"Well, this is shocking," a new voice said. Everyone screamed as their serious conversation was interrupted.

The king of Fiore appeared from nowhere, a smile on his face.

"You look like Master Makarov," Lucy muttered. Aza vanished, leaving a disoriented-looking Akira in her place. Poison also vanished, leaving Lyra looking disgruntled.

"What did she tell you?" Lyra asked Akira.

"That she couldn't tell us, not yet." Akira pouted. "I hate it when she keeps things from me."

"Don't we all," Lyra dryly said.

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone," the king chuckled. "But you should get to bed, as the Grand Magic Games start in tree hours. It's a direction thing, so I would advise spirit usage."

Lucy grinned. Ever since she'd Awakened (not Ascended, not yet), she felt way more powerful and could sense other Unawakened Conduits (like with Angel).

"Okay," she said, smiling as she touched Pyxis' key (which she'd bought in a Crocus magic shop).

Akira smirked demonically.

"All right," she said. Lucy had notice that her pouch was heavier than before, and Akira gave her a jagged smile. "Since I'm the Infernal Queen, all Infernal Keys have gone to me-even ones that have buried themselves far in the ocean."

"Wow," Lucy said. "What's your Compass Key's name?"

"Compass," Akira muttered. Lucy snorted, amused.

"Alright, Hisui, we'll see you soon," Lucy said, hugging the older/younger woman.

"See you soon," Hisui said, hugging Lucy back. Hugging each of her cousins, they finally left and went to their team's room.

Hisui watched as they left, and turned to Arcadios.

"Bring me everything we know about the Book of Zeref," she instructed.

Arcadios bowed.

~:~

"And now, to announce the winners of the first round of the Grand Magic Games," Pumpkin-Head called. Laxus watched Akira leaning against the wall, looking drained. Compass-her Infernal Key-had been helpful, telling her where to go and everything. No matter how many times the maze-ball turned, the Compass had led the way. Lyra used her Figure Eye magic to control other guilds, though it was so subtle Laxus doubted the lacrimi* cameras had really picked up on it.

Finally, the dragon slayer had made it to the entrance to find out that they were the second ones there out of eight teams.

"In last place is...Fairy Tail Team A!"

They heard the boos in the crowd as Team A walked out, Mizu, Akira, and Lyra all looking faintly surprised.

"Eh, I shouldn't be so surprised," Mizu grumbled. "After all, they got 'Natsu the Baka' on that team."

Gajeel snorted and Laxus smirked at her comment.

"With the members Natsu Dragneel, Gray Fullbuster, Erza Scarlet, Lucy Heartfilia, and a mysterious new member, Selinia Soliana!"

"Seriously? Do they have to mention our first _and_ last names?" Lyra asked, going even paler as she realized there would be an uproar with the Konzern Cousins (a name coined by Jason, the recent reporter who'd interviewed Fairy Tail after its main members returned) all in the Games.

"To work the crowd, yeah," Akira said, also looking a bit pale.

"Stage fright?" Laxus questioned her. Akira shrugged.

"I just want to fight another mage. I haven't fought another mage in a long time," she said with a smirk...and then she sighed. "But I need a nap."

Laxus took a deep breath.

He was about to take his jacket off and let her borrow it, but then their group was called.

"And in second place, Fairy Tail Team B!"

Laxus strode out, his eyes hard.

He was glad Makarov was giving him a second chance-he'd been given the Fairy Tail guild mark again right before they'd left for Crocus.

The crowd boo-ed.

"And in Fairy Tail Team B-Laxus Dreyar, Gajeel Redfox, Mizuza Soliana, Lyra Fierce, and Akirakaza Soliana!"

The crowd was in an uproar.

Laxus could hear everyone muttering about the 'Konzern Cousins'.

"Can you hear them talking about us?" Lyra muttered, an eyebrow twitching.

"Fuck my life," Akira retorted. "They can kiss my ass."

Laxus bit back a comment about said ass.

~:~

Akira took a deep breath as she watched Lyra move through the maze.

Lyra used her Seith magic to earn a point, shocking everyone when the mage from Raven Tail shouted, "For Lyra!" and knocked himself unconscious.

A point was given to Lyra.

After she made two points, she was knocked out of the game by Rufus Lore, a Memory Make mage.

Laughs echoed through the arena when Fairy Tail's points came to 1 point...

Oh, they were so screwed.

~:~

"The first fight will be three people," Pumpkin-Head announced. "Three wizards of virtually the same type!"

Akira's eyes widened. "Oh, HELL NO!" She shouted. Heads turned towards her.

"Lucy Heartfilia vs Yukino Aguria vs Akirakaza Soliana!"

"Lovely," Akira moaned, jumping into the arena.

Her clothes were black and red, looking every bit the Infernal Wizard she was.

The other two mages came out, and waited for a few seconds.

"A Celestial battle between three Celestial Wizards!"

"I'M AN INFERNAL CELESTIAL WIZARD, PUMPKIN-HEAD!" Akira shouted, an irk mark appearing.

"CHILL OUT, AKIRA!" Lucy yelled back.

"Piss off, Lucy," Akira snapped. She put a hand near her pouch-and Yukino whipped out a key.

"Open, Gate of the Heavenly Scales! Libra!" Yukino shouted.

"Open, Gate of the Lion! Leo!" Lucy shouted.

"Open, Gate of the Infernal Ruler! Lucifer!" Akira shouted.

Gold sparkles appeared, the three Celestial spirits appearing out of nowhere.

For a single minute, they didn't do anything.

Then Lucifer and Leo darted forward...and Leo promptly kneeled in front of Libra, a bunch of flowers in his fist.

"My love, will you go out with me?" he purred.

Lucifer's arm was around Yukino. "Please," he said suavely, "become my queen."

Lucy and Akira slapped their foreheads.

"YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE FIGHTING, NOT TRYING TO GET A DATE!" Akira, Lucy, and Yukino all shouted, as Libra had responded to Leo's question, a blush on her cheeks. Instantly, all of them got serious.

"Ready?" Lucy asked Akira, and Akira nodded.

"Lucifer, you know the plan," she said. "Kick ass."

Lucifer's eyes hardened. Libra's eyes widened in shock as Lucifer's aura grew. Leo's golden aura flew...and then Akira launched herself at Yukino.

The crowd stopped cheering the celestial spirits as all three wizards got into a bitch fight while the spirits themselves fought.

"And the Celestial Wizards have gotten into a very physical tussle! Who will come out the winner? Looks like Yukino is gaining some headway-ouch, Libra's taking a beating!"

The Celestial Wizards seperated after a few more minutes, Yukino the only one not having to fake the breathing hard.

Akira grabbed another Infernal Key-this time a Platinum.

"Open, Gate of the Infernal Class Seven Demon! Azazel!" Azazel appeared in red sparkles. Lucy smirked as she grabbed another of her keys, too, making Yukino also go up one more,

"Open, Gate of the Giant Bull! Taurus!" Lucy cried, summoning the perverted bull, who wasted no time.

"Open, Gate of the Paired Fish! Pisces!" Yukino yelled, summoning the paired fish, the mother-son duo.

The spirits kept fighting, giving their all to drain the others' magic and force-close a gate.

"Lucy," Akira said, turning to face her cousin, "I think it's time to show off."

Lucy grinned brightly. "Like a Unison Raid?"

Akira nodded, her smirk becoming darker. "You know Urano Metria?"

Lucy shrugged. "I can pull it off. You're not a Celestial Wizard-not like me, you have the Infernal Keys," she said, looking confused.

Akira grinned. "Bring out Gemini and I will too."

Yukino looked confused. "What are you-"

"OPEN, GATES OF ABBADON AND AZRAEL, THE INFERNAL TWINS!" Akira shouted, bringing out two keys that seemed stuck together.

Lucy smirked darkly.

"OPEN, GATE OF THE CELESTIAL TWINS, GEMINI!"

Both sets of twins appeared. Instead of dolls, though, Gemini-Lucy's Gemini-had taken on forms similar to Azrael and Abbadon. But this time the female had white hair and black wings while the male had black hair and white wings.

Yukino still looked confused.

Then the twins transformed into Akira and Lucy.

They were taking a chance, a huge chance with this.If Lucy didn't defeat Yukino and get her keys, there was no way that when they found Draco the Celestial Dragon (or Celeste, though Draco was preferred) that Lucy would be able to learn Dragon Slaying Magic.

Lucy grasped Fake-Akira's hand and Akira grasped Fake-Lucy's hand while also grasping Fake-Akira's hand.

Akira and Lucy started their seperate spells, creating one of the best Unison Raids-and the most powerful-ever to become reality.

 _Survey the Heavens,_ Lucy began.

 ** _Survey the Hells,_** Akira said just as Lucy said her opening lines.

_Open the Heavens..._

**_Open the Hells..._ **

_All the stars, far and wide..._

**_All the fallen stars, far and wide..._ **

_Show me thy appearance..._

**_Show me thy appearance..._ **

_With such shine._

**_With such shine._ **

_Oh Tetrabiblos..._

**_Oh Tetrabiblos..._ **

_I am the ruler of the stars..._

**_I am the ruler of the fallen stars..._ **

_Aspect become complete..._

**_Aspect become complete..._ **

_Open thy malevolent gate._

**_Open thy malevolent gate._ **

_Oh 88 Stars of the heaven..._

**_Oh Fallen Stars of the hells..._ **

_Shine!_

**_Shine!_ **

**_ Urano Metria! _ **

Akira had made up her spell by herself, as most Infernal Wizards actually had to create spells similar-yet directly opposite to those of the normal Celestial Wizards.

The planetoids that had appeared by the river with Lucy and Angel also appeared in the arena, startling some and quieting all in a shocked silence. The Infernal addition colored half of the stars red, therefore creating something so unique...everyone, everywhere, was immovable.

And then, when Lucy opened her eyes-that had become golden magic circles-and Akira opened her eyes-which had become _red_ magic circles-they hurtled, full force, at Yukino, who couldn't shield herself in time to stop them.

Yukino screamed as each planetoid hit her, hurting her and taking a point away from her guild. Knocking her into the dust, Libra and Pisces dissolved.

Loke and Taurus returned to their place in the Spirit World, and Lucifer grinned crookedly while Azazel-who had brilliant blue eyes-gazed at the new Infernal Queen with awe and wonder.

"I love you, my queen," Lucifer beamed, dragging the Infernal Wizard in a kiss.

Akira pushed him away.

"Lucifer...why kiss me when you're hurting your girlfriend?" she dryly questioned.

"It looks like both Team A and Team B of Fairy Tail have won this match!"

Lucy walked over to Yukino...who sighed and held out her keys to the astonishment of the guilds.

"You've won," Yukino said wearily...and then passed out.

Lucy looked at Akira.

"Want to fight?" she asked with a raised brow.

Akira promptly 'passed out'.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRANSLATIONS AND PRONUNCIATIONS
> 
> lacrimi- la-cri-my


	5. Insults, Dragon Force, and Clothes

“So you let Lucy get the glory? Why?” Lyra moaned.

“Because she needed the last 2 keys,” Akira responded with a sigh. “I wasn’t about to let victory escape her grasp.”

“You are ridiculous,” Mizu said, then shrugged. “But I guess I can’t fault you. Lyra, how in hell did you escape Rufus’ Memory Make trap?”

Lyra smirked. “I simply used my magic. That’s it.”

“Unbelievable,” Mizu said. “I wonder how Selene’s faring.”

“Selene,” Selene said, dropping from the ceiling, “is doing just fine. Akira, how is Aza?”

“Quiet,” Akira said.

“Hmm…intriguing. Pass the cereal, please,” she said, nodding towards the cereal on the side. It was still the first day (though it was actually night), and everyone but the Conduit sisters were out partying. While Conduits _could_ get drunk, it took a lot to do so*.

Akira passed the cereal. All of the teams had been given rooms at hotels nearby, and they were well-stocked.

However, it really didn’t come as a surprise when the entire Sabertooth Guild requested Team Demon to visit them at their hotel.

Using their transportation magic, they went down to do so.

~:~

“Come in,” Master Jiemma of Sabertooth said. All heads turned towards the badass Team Demon.

“You requested our presence?” Akira stated coolly. All of the sisters were on guard.

“Yes...entertain us,” Jiemma ordered. Selene’s face went into a snarl.

“How dare you demand that of us,” she growled, her canines lengthening as her Dragon Drive was activated. Selene’s hair was put into long pigtail-braids, silver accents all through her hair. Her eyes turned darker as both her contacts and eyes went darker. Scales formed on her skin, making her more reptilian in looks. Her eyes slitted, turning draconic. Her nails sharpened and her fingers curled inward, giving them the semblance of claws.

Mizu’s hair went into a long ponytail, giving her a more grown-up look. Some strands of hair fell to either side of her face, adding to that illusion. Her contacts went nearly translucent and both her contacts and eyes slitted, becoming draconic. Scales also formed on her skin, in a different pattern that was unique to her. They were redder, though, than Selene’s.

Lyra’s hair simply spread out more, her visible eye turning draconic. A shadow seemed to go over her eye that was visible, giving her more of a demon look than she was used to. Blue-ish scales formed in Aquarius’ symbol on her neck, but scattered elsewhere after the pattern ended.

On Akira, scales form around her body. Her canines-already a little longer because of her demon nature-lengthened a little more, an appropriate length for a dragon slayer. Her hair was in a braid (using a piece from Erza’s Lightning Empress Armor), and only two locks of hair framed her face. Her pupils were draconic and vertically slitted.

Within a few seconds, each of the sisters were in their incredibly beautiful Dragon Drives.

“Unfortunately, you insulted us-not as contestants, but as dragon slayers,” Akira said, striding forward, her gaze sharp. She gazed around the guild. “We will not ‘entertain you’. You have your own members…and this guild is absolutely _pathetic,_ ” she exclaimed, making Jiemma stiffen.

“Did you kill your dragon parents?” Sting asked, and Akira’s head jerked towards him.

“If I had,” Akira said, as evenly as she could, “Skiadrum would have been dead a long time ago.” She examined him closely. Then her attention returned to the rest of the guild. “If you piss us of, I don’t think we’ll be disqualified…unlike you losers.”

That was it. The guild launched themselves at her-but Jiemma roared at them to stop.

Too late, a fist crashed into Akira’s nose. It shattered, making her gasp.

In the utter quietness, there was only the shocked look of Akira, Jiemma, and the steady _drip-drip-drip_ of blood exiting Akira’s nose.

“You…” Akira said, rage making her nearly incoherent. “ _You broke my nose!”_ She yelled, then charged. She knocked out Rogue with a single punch.

The guild was in a mass uproar as Selene sighed.

“Oh well,” she said, shrugging. She launched herself into the fray. Mizu cackled crazily and Lyra grinned darkly.

All of the dragon slayers simply punched someone and it was ‘lights out’ for them.

Needless to say, Sabertooth was left a groaning mess as the female dragon slayers left.

~:~

“Did I hear that you four beat up Sabertooth?” Laxus asked upon appearing in the room.

“No,” the four girls said, instantly. Too quickly.

“Ah, well, I heard Princess Hisui say that there was no real evidence. Too bad.” Laxus watched them carefully for a minute. Akira gave no indication that she’d heard Laxus at all. “She also gave me a list of what’s going on in the arena.”

That got their attention, though Laxus was disappointed that Akira avoided looking at him.

It was taking all of his self-control not to grab her and kiss her senseless and claim her as _his._

“Let me see,” Selene said. She grinned when she saw the list of what was going to happen. “Akira and Laxus versus Flare Corona and Kurohebi vs the Twin Dragons of Sabertooth.”

“Why do I have to fight again?” Akira moaned.

“Because Princess Hisui knows you’re the greatest chance for us to win,” Mizu announced, startling Laxus a little with her childish sincerity.

“That is true,” Laxus nodded.

“Not only do you have to fight, but you get to model with Mirajane and Lucy,” Lyra observed. “Apparently they want to do an article on the ‘Konzern Cousins’ after the Grand Magic Games and you and Lucy will be the front page.”

“Oh,” Akira said, paling. “But-the brand-the scars-“

“Akira, we’re going to have to out ourselves as you-know-what-we-are soon, we can only hope they’ve grown a little more tolerant,” Selene interrupted. “Now let’s all get some sleep and figure out what we’re going to do tomorrow, okay?”

“Alright,” Akira, Mizu, and Lyra all intoned.

~:~

“Is it just me or is there more people out there than yesterday?” Akira asked, pale.

Lucy examined her cousin with raised eyebrows. Akira looked sick. She was in a devil costume, while Lucy was in an angel costume. Both were rather revealing, seeing as they were Halloween costumes, but undeniably sexy.

“It’s not just you,” she finally said with a sigh. “Mirajane invited two of the ‘Konzern Cousins’ down. I’m excited!”

“Yay for you,” Akira deadpanned. “I’m still terrified. What happens when they see the brand?” The intricate brand that had been burned black onto her back stood out boldly. The scale in the center glimmered.

“Then they’ll wonder what happened. I can’t wait to kick Jenny Realight off of Sorcerer Weekly!”

~:~

They walked out, Mirajane in front of them wearing a mermaid costume.

Many people ooh-ed at Akira’s and Lucy’s provocative outfits…and then the camera lacrima zoomed in onto Akira’s Encan brand.

“Is that a…brand on Akirakaza Soli’s skin?” the announcer asked. Akira was going to die of humiliation when she heard someone yell.

“GO, AKIRA! KICK IT IN THE ASS!” Mizu screamed.

Akira’s mouth tilted to one side…and then she allowed Aza to direct her movements.

She tilted back a little, a devil-may-care smirk on her face. Her arms went to rest behind her head as she walked down the runway and flipped the crowd off a couple times.

“And…the devilish Akirakaza and the angelic Lucy give Fairy Tail A and B three points each!” bellowed the announcer, causing some confusion.

Akira then gave Jenny a devilish smirk.

“Beat that, _bitch,_ ” she said, smirking.

The crowd ooh-ed.

Jenny huffed.

“I’m prettier than you,” she sniffed.

“You hide your scars,” Lucy pointed out…then looked at her sister in apology.

Akira smirked, no longer scared.

Although she had an undershirt on, it was see-through, so her whip scars would show.

“I’m not afraid,” Akira said, “to show _my_ scars.” She stripped off her top. She then swiveled around-and the raised flesh on her back was visible for the world to see.

“Oh my gods,” Jenny whispered, horrified. After a few more seconds, Akira turned around and put her devil top back on.

“I’m tired of hiding,” Akira said loudly. Mira watched with a proud little smirk on her face.

“The winner of the Halloween costumes…is Lucy Heartfilia, with Akirakaza Soliana in second place!” Pumpkin Head shouted. Akira gave everyone the bird as she vanished back into the dressing room for the ‘Wedding’ themed dress.

~:~

Instead of a white wedding dress, Akira wore a scarlet-and-black dress given to her by her spirits.

Lucy’s was black with stars across from it.

These dresses were customary for wizards who were respected by the Celestial/Infernal spirits. Akira looked younger than she normally acted-she actually looked eighteen rather than twenty-five.

Lucy looked like her old heiress self, excluding the fact she had no need to wear a corset.

Mira looked at the two wizards and just stood there.

She wore a beautiful white gown that slightly sparkled. It fit her personality because the ends were ragged.

“Wow, Mira,” Lucy and Akira said at the same time, “you look gorgeous!”

Mira blushed.

“Don’t flatter me, you guys are the pretty ones,” she laughed.

Lucy and Akira gave her a _look._

“You have the normal ones,” Lucy said. “They are more pretty on other people. You are really pretty-so who are you getting married to?”

Mira blushed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *About 10 barrels, give or take a few. Cana had paid for Akira’s barrels when Akira had gotten drunk.


	6. Melee Fight

“Beautiful and otherworldly!” cheered Pumpkin Head. “Lucy Heartfilia and Akirakaza Soli have both upped their game and used their magic! Ingenious!”

“I knew it!” Mira cheered.

“And Mirajane Strauss rocks the white wedding veil with her awesome beauty!”

Jenny Realight was getting grumpier and grumpier with every comment about the Fairy Tail-ers.

“Jenny’s white dress seems to make her ready for her fiancée, Ren Akatsuki!” Jenny blushed as Ren denied that he felt that way and then accepted that he loved her. Apparently they got engaged during the seven years the main members of Fairy Tail had been missing.

Akira and the others went back for the last set, ‘Casual Dining’. They didn’t speak-Pumpkin Head didn’t announce their points like last time.

Akira came out in a green outfit. She went with her usual ‘down to earth’ earth-colored clothes that were just like her. Instead of a dress, she wore a green tunic that pinned in the front, brown leggings that went just past her knees, and soft leather sandals. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, two thin strands of hair framing her face. Green earrings that had a miniature version of the Soliana crest on it-which was simply something called a Celtic Knot (Akira had a feeling her mother had gone to a different world to get it), and a gemstone set in the center. It was, obviously, an emerald in each of Akira’s earrings. Selene’s pair had a tanzanite stone in hers* and Mizu had the family’s normal stone of sapphire.

Lucy wore a purple dress with her keys on a belt attached to her lower left leg. A slit in her dress showed it, but the keys were invisible. Her hair was down, but her heart earrings were-as usual-in her ears. Akira had a feeling that they were actually ruby earrings. Her shoes matched her dress.

Mira wore her normal dress. Jenny wore a simple t-shirt and cutoffs.

“Oh! Akira flaunts her down-to-earth casual wear while Lucy flashes something simple, yet elegant! Mira enters in a beautiful pink dress, outshining the pretty-yet everyday-wear of Jenny!” Pumpkin Head called out.

Jenny glared at the Fairy Tail-ers even more.

“And that’s it! Sorcerer Weekly has all the photos they need and points have been added to both Fairy Tail and Blue Pegasus!”

The people cheered. Many others were whispering, probably about Akira’s hideous scars that marred her otherwise beautiful and flawless body.

Or the fact that she was still a wealthy heiress and helping a wizarding guild…

Akira smiled and waved wildly when she saw Lady Fierce in the crowd.

Her smile soured as she realized Lady Soliana wasn’t in that crowd, which turned her thoughts in an even darker direction.

Terra-her dragon mother-was still gone.

She dropped the smile entirely and walked off, probably confusing some people. She went to the dressing room and changed into her clothes and went to her team, who were quiet, probably sensing her foul mood.

“Hey, Akira,” Laxus finally said, causing everyone to look at him, “who is Gajeel’s dragon parent?”

Akira looked at Gajeel, who shrugged carelessly.

“Metalicana,” she responded after a few seconds of silence. “He was a real ass, but more of a father than my own was.”

Gajeel stared at his ‘sister’.

“Gajeel’s just like him in that way,” she added, smirking when Gajeel’s stare turned into a glare. “But Metalicana had his own way of expressing himself. I think they might be in the Dragon Realm, but I can’t cross realms that well yet.”

“Oh,” Laxus said dumbly. Gajeel’s eyebrows were in his hair as he stared at his dragon sister’s blasé attitude towards her magic capabilities.

“And now,” Pumpkin Head announced, “the final challenge for the day! Akirakaza Soli and Laxus Dreyar versus Flare Corona and Kurohebi versus Sting Eucliffe and Rogue Cheney!”

“I can’t wait to beat that upstart up again,” Akira said, grinning evilly. Everyone in the vicinity of Akira backed away nervously.

“And, as a bonus challenge for all of the teams…Erza Scarlet, Natsu Dragneel, Gajeel Redfox, Gray Fullbuster, Nullpudding, Jura, and Minerva have all been selected to join in the fight!”

Akira-if it was possible-gave an even scarier grin.

“I can’t wait,” she said, laughing insanely. It gave the other two selected a very, very, _very_ bad feeling about this event.

~:~

“So three of them in one, hmm?” Mavis said out loud. “I think this will be a very bloody fight.” She said it as though commenting on the weather. “For the other guilds, I mean. Especially with Akira.”

Master Makarov sweatdropped at the image of Akira cackling and standing above the other contestants with blood and bruises on visible skin.

“I’m beginning to regret allowing them to join the teams,” Makarov muttered when the surprise members entered the arena. Akira was exuding confidence.

“The rules of this challenge are,” Pumpkin Head began, “1. No killing.” Akira looked disappointed, though Makarov didn’t know if it was faked or not. “2. Maiming is to be kept to knocking someone out.” Akira fist pumped while the other members of Fairy Tail just grinned. “3. Teams are allowed, meaning you can form a temporary alliance with other guilds and/or your guild.” Akira immediately turned to Laxus, who nodded at her. Nalpudding walked over to his guild’s team. Jura walked over to Fairy Tail Team B, who currently had Gray talking to Akira. Sabertooth seemed to strike an alliance with Raven Tail. “4. No outside influence may interfere. Magic such as Infernal Wizardry is the ONLY EXCEPTION, as they come from the Spirit Realm. And any summons MUST take place INSIDE the arena. NO OTHER EXCEPTIONS. 5. Offensive magic will not be allowed in the second half. Any inner personalities-this is for Akira-are _NOT_ allowed to kill. Got it?”

A paperclip dropping could’ve been heard in the arena as everyone eagerly waited for the heiress’s response.

“Yeah, yeah, she doesn’t kill,” Akira said, waving her hand around. “Well,” she amended, “not _anymore,_ anyway.”

Snickers floated from the Sabertooth side of things.

“She is allowed to come out though, right? She’ll be upset if she has to stay locked up,” Akira pouted.

Pumpkin Head’s sigh could be heard. “Fine. But no _serious_ maiming.”

Akira saluted Pumpkin Head.

“YES, SIR!”

“Is everyone in accordance with these rules?” Pumpkin Head asked.

Everyone muttered assent.

“THEN LET THE GAME BEGIN!”

~:~

Akira waited. Erza glanced at her, but she shook her head. She kept a relaxed stance.

When Flare looked at the timer and saw twenty minutes of ‘offensive magic allowed’ was left, her hair flowed out-and Sting let loose his first barrage.

Instantly, Akira went into her Dragon Force mode and held out her hand, using-for the first time in forever-her Spirit Magic.

“Supirittomajikku: Hikarinokussetsu!”

Laxus charged forward, aiming for Flare as Sting’s own magic was rebounded back onto him, hurting him.

Rogue leapt into the fray, going into his own Dragon Force. All of the dragon slayers that knew how went into their separate Forces.

Using a quick Time Stop, Akira tapped Gajeel and Natsu with Conduit magic. Soon, the arena was alive with magics being tossed around. Flare was aiming for Akira, Akira was even winning-

When all of a sudden, Akira stopped. The battle continued to rage, but Akira was reliving her worst memory. Her eyes were unseeing. The camera lacrimi turned to view her briefly.

~:~

_“Use your Conduit magic!” Elaine Soliana called to her three daughters and one niece. The thirteen year-old teens hesitated, but did as their mother said._

_As they journeyed around Enca, Lady Soliana went into a magic shop and told the children to stay outside of the shop. They did as they were told._

_As the minutes passed, the streets quickly emptied. Magic circles barring people from entering appeared over doors._

_Selene tried to enter the shop, but it only attracted the attention of the people traipsing down the avenue like they owned it. It also didn’t stop them from tranquilizing the five children._

_When the four woke up-Al nowhere in sight-they were in a forge. Akira had seen someone heating a tool used for-- she was going to be sick. They were going to be **branded.**_

_“Stop it, please,” wept an unfamiliar voice._

_“SHUT UP!” Roared another, and the slap of skin hitting skin made Akira whimper. The tool was instantly covered with a type of tattoo magic, only this was no tattoo. This was to be **permanent.**_

_The tool moved. There was a hiss, a scream, and the smell of burning skin._

_Soon, she felt agony--_

_She couldn’t scream. Oh no. This was **nothing.** Nothing compared to what she’d had to endure losing her dragon mother._

_The scale that she could never loose pressed reassuringly onto her chest. She’d strung a chain around it and then used magic to keep it there and had shortened the chain of the necklace and locked it using her Conduit magic._

_She took even breaths when the branding tool was gone._

_She was then roughly yanked up and looked over. A man with science glasses shook his head._

_“Put her in ze fields vith ze ozzers. Perhaps she vill be use to us vhen she is broken,” he instructed._

_Akira swore then that she would never break-she had to save her sisters._

~:~

Snapping out of the enchantment after she remembered that, she saw that Natsu and Gray were out on their side, and on the other side Nullpudding and Rogue had fallen. Her eyes latched onto Kurohebi’s and he smirked-only to lose it when Akira let Aza out.

~:~

The arena stopped moving for a beat when Akira screamed in rage and in pain-both of them emotional.

To everyone’s astonishment, a black circle of magic appeared over her. Something that had only happened when Akira’s mental state was too rage-induced to think clearly.

Power-raw, unnerving power-swept over the land and the demon of Zeref’s horns appeared. Her forehead was marred by Zeref’s symbol, her eyes crimson. Her skin was as pale as snow and her lips as red as rubies. Her raven-black hair flowed from her head and her nails grew a little more.

“First,” Aza said, looking down, but obviously pissed (if the aura was anything to go by), “Sabertooth insults us. Now, you have to let her relive one of her worst memories?” Her voice carried out over the arena’s thunder of voices, silencing them instantly. “I may not kill you here, today,” she seethed, canines flashing menacingly, “but I will be _damned_ if I let this slide!”

“Aza,“ Laxus began, looking confused, “nobody in Sabertooth uses memory magic.”

“Rufus Lore does, but he wouldn’t interfere with a match like this,” Minerva coolly stated. Inside she was quaking with fear (though it only showed in her eyes. She’d never met a _real_ demon). Everyone was.

“I’m not talking about Rufus Lore,” Aza said icily. “I’m talking about Kurohebi, trying to twist our minds.” Fury laced her tone. With a sudden, violent motion, she took to the skies, her black angel wings making everyone gape in shock.

“Piss me off, shame on you,” Aza said, smirking as Kurohebi used Flare to get into the sky. With a powerful kick, Kurohebi was unconscious.

Aza floated down and saw the magic timer go off.

“I’m staying for this half,” she said pleasantly. “Your side screwed up, Sting Eucliffe. My host needs time to recuperate.”

Pumpkin Head nervously cleared his throat. “Right…second round…BEGIN!”

Since nobody seemed inclined to fight, Aza sighed and flew up really fast-

BOOM!

Aza screamed in pain as one of her wings was pierced with an arrow.

Her vision fading, she saw the ground coming up fast-

~:~

Akira’s normal-yet scary-draconic growl filled the arena.

“I’m already tired,” she said, very scarily, and very quietly, “of this damned fight. So…”

She took a stance. Opening her arms, she looked to the skies.

“Supirittomajikku wa: Watashi no ishi o tori, nani odeshou ka!” White lights streamed from the opposing sides, making people stare in dumbfounded shock at Pumpkin Head’s box.

“VIOLATION!” Someone yelled.

Pumpkin Head laughed. “No, Spirit Magic is not offensive magic. Akira was injured by person or persons outside of the arena-a clear violation of this melee fight. Spirit Magic does what it wants-a magic coveted by many, yet used by few.” Pumpkin Head cleared his throat. “Now, onto the ‘Water Sphere Challenge’! All ‘Melee’ members will exit the field, excluding Minerva. One female from each guild may come in-Quatro Cerberus IS excluded from this challenge. After this, it will be Laxus versus Flare, then Quatro Cerberus’ challenge. Their challenge will be the last challenge of the day!”

Akira stormed off the field, frantically searching for Aza.

Aza finally responded.

 ** _Quit poking-I’m fine. Just a magical arrow. You should’ve seen me when Ikari mummified me,_** the demon joked.

Akira snorted.

_ Yes, I’m certain that it was quite a sight. You think we made a positive or negative influence on the world outside? _

**_Hard to say,_** was all Aza said before retreating back into the murky depths of Akira’s mind.

With a sigh, Akira headed to the showers to try to drown herself before her next bout. She knew a team-on-team fight was inevitable.

Suddenly, Loke appeared before her, his expression unusually grave.

“Loke? What’s-?”

“Lucy’s been taken by the Garou Knights-so has Meredy,” he informed the Infernal Queen.

Akira was flat-out running after he informed her, hurriedly informing Selene, Mizu, and Lyra that she wouldn’t be able to participate in the guild-on-guild fight.

_ Sisters, Lucy’s been taken by the Garou Knights and I’m currently on my way to see Jellal, Ultear, and Ur-apparently Meredy’s missing, but I don’t know if anyone else is so I won’t be able to participate in the guild-on-guild fight tomorrow. I have a bad feeling about tomorrow night. _

**_Juvia and Mizu have been taken, I really don’t know who else,_** Selene said, quick to inform her blood-sister.

 _Lovely. Just what I needed,_ Akira sarcastically replied before doubling her speed, Loke loping beside her. Her lungs expanded, her legs going longer distances as she followed her nose and instincts. Her nose sometimes told her to go down an alley while her instincts told her-as a demon-that it would be too obvious to follow the scent. Aza had been fooled several (countless) times when her enemies realized she’d been relying on her nose. Soon she was practically flying.

She skidded to a stop at the edge of the palace…then threw caution to the wind and went to the nearest guard.

She grabbed him by his collar and he gulped, probably having seen her pissed-off demon. Aza was getting riled-she hated having her host’s family ripped up.

“Have you seen my demon, Aza?” Akira asked in her velvet voice. When he nodded, she smiled at him-which made the poor man wet his pants (unfortunately, she smelled it. Ew). “Then you _really_ don’t want to test my patience. You see, I’m having a _terrible_ day. I’m only going to tell you this once-Bring. Arcadios. Out. Now.”

She released him and the terrified guard fled.

Akira waited.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:  
> *Tanzanite is a blue gemstone.  
> Supirittomajikku: Hikarinokussetsu: Spirit Force: Light Refraction  
> Supirittomajikku wa: Watashi no ishi o tori, nani odeshou ka!- unable to be translated, unfortunately. Sorry.


End file.
